Do You Have Intentions or Wishes?

Have you ever wished for something that didn’t happen, even if it felt like the right thing to wish for? For example, let’s say that you wished to go to a particular spot for vacation; or you wished that you had a college degree; or you wished that you had a better job.

Why is it that these wishes do not come true? Is it because they are wishes, rather than intentions? An intention carries with it a great deal of power. For example, if you intend to do something, your body will respond more intensely than if you merely wish for something. Intentions feel much more forceful, both mentally and physically, than merely wishing.

What happens when you have an intention? You make a decision that you want something, and you intend to have it. When we make a decision, and therefore an intention, it seems to rest comfortably in the back of our mind. It allows us to relax, knowing that because we have this definiteness of purpose it will happen for us in the right and perfect way, and without the need to force things to happen. Interestingly enough, a level of confidence that is satisfying accompanies our statement of intention.

What’s the difference between having an intention and wishing for something? The difference is that wishing is more emotionally based and, therefore, is subject to the up’s and down’s of our emotions of fear, frustration, and disappointment. It also includes anxieties that stem from our need to control things. Wishing just feels different than intention.

Let’s try an experiment. Think about something that you would like to do or have? How much do you desire this? How important is it to you? Will it improve the quality of your life? If so, make the statement, “I intend to… (fill in the blank).” As an example, let’s say that you want to go to Hawaii on vacation and you say, “I wish that I could go to Hawaii.” How does that feel? Now make the statement, “I intend to go to Hawaii.” Do you notice a difference between the feelings generated by making one statement versus the other? Does one make you feel more confident (and therefore more likely to occur) than the other statement?

So, how does making an intention work? Through definiteness of mind, as manifested through making an intention, you make up your mind that you want something to occur. You may find these things will occur without you forcing them to happen. You simply said, “I intend to go to Hawaii” and those words attract whatever is necessary to make this happen for you. It is not your business to figure out exactly how it will happen, but only to be on the lookout for, recognize, and respond to the opportunities that come your way.

How you get your trip to Hawaii may come through unusual circumstances or opportunities. For example, you may win a free trip in a sweepstakes or through your job, or you may have an opportunity to work your way to Hawaii. Perhaps friends living in Hawaii will contact you and say, “Come spend a week with us in Hawaii. We have frequent flyer miles and we will fly you over.” There is no way of knowing how this will come about.

Now compare this to wishing. “I wish that I could go to Hawaii.” This wishy-washy statement sounds half-hearted and not at all convincing. It also leaves you lots of escape routes such as, “Nothing good ever happens to me” or “See I told you, I would never get to go” or other such statements. Not being definite will keep you from looking for or recognizing opportunities that come your way because you do not believe it could happen for you.

Look around you. Are there people who seem to have it all? Are they wishers or doers? The fruits of life belong to those who move beyond merely wishing to being decisive, confident, and with intentions.

Affirmation for the Week:

“I give up wishing and I take up making intentions. I am determined to have those things that enhance the happiness and success of my life.”